Chemical peel vs. Laser peel - which is better for fine lines, sun damage?

I am a Caucasian woman with medium skin (can burn, but will tan). I am considering a medium medical grade peel to help with lines, pigment changes and sun damage.

Is a chemical peel better than a laser peel for these skin issues? Will one treatment promote collagen more than the other?

3 answers to “Chemical peel vs. Laser peel - which...”

A: Laser is more effective than chemical peel

William J. Hedden, MD

Some patients will want a light chemical peel to prep their skin a month prior to a laser.  The mild peel can help with sun damage, pore size, and fine lines, but does not produce new collagen.  This is a great way to work on "fresh skin" and already have some of the older, damaged... more

A: Chemical peels vs Laser Peels

L. Mike Nayak, MD

As a general rule, the deeper the skin is peeled: 1. The more dramatic the improvement in wrinkling 2. The longer the healing period 3. The greater the risk of scarring or irregular pigmentation after the peel. For pigment and fine wrinkling, a superficial papillary dermal peel should be appropriate.... more

A: Medium depth chemical peels create peeling for 5 to 7...

Ronald Shelton, MD

Medium depth chemical peels create peeling for 5 to 7 days. They do help with photodamage but are less helpful with fine lines than some laser treatments which can also take one week to heal.

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